CHIkids: a look back and a look forward

Abstract

It's been three long years, over 200 children, over 25 CHIkids Leaders and over 100 donated computers. For me, it's been a learning experience about kids, what they can do with technology, and what that can mean to the C H I conference experience. Back in 1994, I could not have imagined that proposing some changes to the C H I conference's traditional childC ~ care program would lead to changes in the C H I • ~ conference itself. Today it's not terribly surprising that children of C H I conference attendees use technology to create the C H [ conference web site and daily conference newsletter. It has come to be expected that at the C H I conference these children will test conference attendees alpha and beta technologies. And it's become something of a tradition for these same children to support the conference's Opening and Closing Plenary experiences with videos, parades, and more.